As we drove in this morning to visit Isaac in the NICU, Michigan Street (SR 31 through South Bend) was littered with protesters over President Obama’s stance on stem cell research and abortion as well as his receiving an honorary degree from a Catholic institution.

Let me pause and say that I believe in the depths of my soul that a life is created at conception.  I do not agree with any form of abortion and I believe that all life is sacred.

Even in light of my personal convictions, I do not agree with the protests nor the forms used today:

1.  Regardless of agreeing with all of the choices made by your president, he’s still just that: our President.  And he deserves to be treated with respect, not compared to Hitler as we saw from the protest trucks driving South Bend all week, or calling him the “Agent of Death” as seen on the left.  Nor do I agree with the Bishop of South Bend saying, “President Obama has recently reaffirmed, and has now placed in public policy, his long-stated unwillingness to hold human life as sacred.” Truly, anyone who has a child of their own that they love and provide for hold’s human life as sacred.

2.  I did not need (nor want) to see the pictures of the various stage aborted babies every 4 feet for nearly 2 miles.  And, what about the families with children that were driving to and from church, lunch, or grandma’s house all day?  What did that accomplish?  It was disgusting.

3.  And, what about all the students that graduated today?  A number of students and their families abstained from today’s proceedings to show their frustration.  The whole direction of this debate has put a proverbial raincloud over everyone being honored today.  That’s sad to me.  Commencement should be a time of celebration.  Not a time to remember people lining the streets with distasteful posters.

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Then we walked into the NICU to this:

This boy is why I don’t agree with abortion.  The love his nurses have shown him since day 0 is why I don’t agree with abortion.  The fact that his birth parent’s didn’t consider abortion has allowed Angie and I to be parents… that’s I why I disagree with it.

I think it’s sad when people can no longer have a discussion.  When they don’t feel that they have any other voice than to manipulate emotions, I think it becomes wrong regardless of the issue.  When we demonize people for their beliefs, we don’t live up to the reputation that we want to hold as a nation … nor as Christ-followers.

Whatever your beliefs, I think we can all agree with President Obama’s remarks over today’s protest:

“Each side will continue to make its case to the public with passion and conviction, but surely we can do so without reducing those with differing views to caricature … How does each of us remain firm in our principles, and fight for what we consider right, without demonizing those with just as strongly held convictions on the other side?”

It’s a tough question.  One that goes deeper than the pro-life/pro-choice issue.  One that gets at the root anger, greed, frustration and hostility.  One that is rooted in peace not war and hatred.

It’s a tough question.  But, one worth all of us beginning to work through.

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“GOD, help us as we do.”

PJT//